Oldham

Oldham's population increased by about 7,600 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 220,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Oldham increased by 3.5%, from just over 217,000 to 225,000.

The addition of about 7,600 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Oldham was home to, on average, 11 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Oldham

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Oldham increased by one year, from 36 to 37 years.

This area had a lower average age than the North West and remained slightly younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 4,200 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 5,000.

About 13.0% of people in Oldham are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Oldham by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Oldham

In 2011, 19.2% of Oldham residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 12.1% in 2001.

Across the North West, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 3.8% to 6.2%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 77.5% of people in Oldham said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 86.1% in 2001. About 1.8% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.6% to 1.2%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Oldham increased by 7.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Oldham by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Oldham saw the North West's third-largest fall in the proportion of households without children.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (55.5%) households in Oldham had no children, compared with 56.1% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child remained close to 33.8%.

Across the region, only Trafford (from 60.7% to 58.2%) and Blackpool (from 65.5% to 64.6%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of households without children.

The proportion of households without children was lower than across the North West

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Oldham

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Oldham was among those who said they had no religion, rising 7.2 points.

In 2011, 16.1% of respondents in Oldham gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 8.9% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the North West, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 10.5% to 19.8%, while across England the percentage went from 14.5% to 24.6%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Oldham, 59.7% said they were Christian, compared with 72.6% in 2001. About 17.7% said they were Muslim, compared with 11.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Sikh increased from 0.0% to 0.0%.

In Oldham, 5.6% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 6.5% in 2001. In North West, 6.2% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Oldham increased by 7.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, North West and Oldham by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Oldham

The percentage of Oldham residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 89.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities remained close to 3.7%, while the percentage of Oldham residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 7.1% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (which remained close to 88.9%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 89.8%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Oldham that rented privately increased from 6.3% to 12.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in five (21.1%) households lived in social housing, compared with 22.8% in 2001. The percentage of Oldham households that owned their home decreased from 68.1% to 65.0%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 8.5% in 2001 to 15.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Oldham increased by 5.9 percentage points

Percentage of households in Oldham, the North West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Oldham residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 11.2% to 6.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (78.5%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 65.7% in 2001. The percentage of Oldham residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23.1% to 14.6%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11.0% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Oldham decreased by 4.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Oldham, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Oldham residents that were unemployed increased from 3.7% to 5.4% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in two (50.4%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 52.3% in 2001. The percentage of Oldham residents that were self-employed increased from 6.8% to 7.8%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 3.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Oldham increased by 1.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Oldham, the North West and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Oldham working less than 16 hours increased from 1.5% to 2.9% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 14 (7.2%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 10.0% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 1.7% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Oldham increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Oldham, the North West and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing relationships in Oldham

The percentage of adults in Oldham that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner remained close to 12.5% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in two (46.7%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 51.1% in 2001. The percentage of single people in Oldham increased from 28.0% to 33.1%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11.0% in 2001 to 12.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 10.6% to 11.6%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Oldham, which comprised one person, remained close to 29.9% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10.2%) households had an unmarried couple, compared with 8.9% in 2001. The percentage of households in Oldham which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 36.8% to 32.9%.

The proportion of one-person households increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 30.9% in 2001 to 32.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage remained close to 30.3%.

The percentage of households with only one person was lower than across the North West

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Oldham residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.4% to 2.7% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, 1.6% of reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.3% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 2.4% in 2001 to 2.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Oldham remained close to 2.7%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Oldham by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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